Idrisid dynasty facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Idrisid dynasty
الأدارسة
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| 788–974 | |||||||||||
Idrisid state, around 820 CE, showing its maximal extent.
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| Status | Muslim ruling dynasty | ||||||||||
| Capital | Walilli (788–808) Fez (808–927) Hajar an-Nasar (927–985) |
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| Common languages | Arabic, Berber languages | ||||||||||
| Religion | Islam – Sunni or Zaydi Shia (disputed) | ||||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||||
| Emir | |||||||||||
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• 788-791
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Idris ben Abdallah | ||||||||||
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• 954-974
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Hassan ben al-Qasim | ||||||||||
| Historical era | Medieval | ||||||||||
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• Established
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788 | ||||||||||
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• Disestablished
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974 | ||||||||||
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Part of a series on the
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| History of Morocco |
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Classical to Late Antiquity
(8th century BC – 7th century AD) |
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Related topics
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 Morocco portal |
The Idrisid dynasty (also called Idrisids) was a family of Arab Muslim rulers. They ruled a large part of what is now Morocco and western Algeria. Their rule lasted from 788 to 974 CE.
The dynasty was named after its founder, Idris I. The Idrisids were descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandson Hasan. Many people see the Idrisids as the founders of the first Moroccan state. They helped spread Islam in Morocco. They also encouraged more Arab people to move into the main cities.
Idris I came to Morocco in 788. He was escaping from the Abbasid Caliphate in the east. He settled in a place called Volubilis. Local Berber tribes helped him. He and his son, Idris II, later founded the city of Fez. Fez became the capital of their state.
After Idris II died, his sons divided the kingdom. This led to some fighting. The dynasty's power became stable again for a while. But in the 10th century, other powerful groups challenged them. These groups included the Fatimid Caliphate and the Umayyad Caliphate of Córdoba. The Idrisids lost control of Fez in 927. They kept a smaller area in northern Morocco. They were finally defeated in 974. A short attempt to regain power in 985 also failed.
Contents
History of the Idrisid State
Founding the Idrisid State
By the late 700s, western North Africa, including Morocco, was free from the Umayyad Caliphate. This happened after the Berber revolts that started around 739. The Abbasid Caliphate also failed to control Morocco after 750. This meant that different local Berber tribes ruled Morocco.
The founder of the Idrisid dynasty was Idris ibn Abdallah. He was a descendant of Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatimah, who was the daughter of Prophet Muhammad. Idris ibn Abdallah fled to North Africa after a battle near Mecca. He arrived in Tangier and then settled in Volubilis in 788.
The strong Awraba Berbers of Volubilis accepted Idris as their religious leader, or 'imam'. The Awraba tribe was already Muslim. But many nearby tribes were Christian, Jewish, or followed other beliefs. The Awraba likely welcomed Idris to make their political position stronger. Idris I worked to bring other tribes under his rule. In 789, he started a new settlement called Medinat Fas (Fez).
In 791, an Abbasid agent poisoned Idris I. He died without a male heir. But soon after, his wife gave birth to his only son, Idris II. Idris's loyal helper, Rashid, raised the boy. Rashid also managed the state for the Awraba tribe. In 801, Rashid was killed by the Abbasids. The next year, at age 11, Idris II became the new imam.
Idris II and the Growth of Fez
Idris I had spread his rule across northern Morocco. But he depended on the Awraba leaders. Idris II wanted to be more independent. He invited Arab settlers to Volubilis. He also appointed Arabs to important government jobs. This helped him become the ruler instead of just a leader supported by the Awraba.
The Awraba leader, Ishak, plotted against Idris II. Idris responded by having Ishak killed. In 809, Idris II moved his government from Volubilis to Fez. He founded a new part of Fez called Al-'Aliya. Idris II (791–828) greatly developed Fez. He welcomed many Arab immigrants to the city. This made Fez more Arab in character than other cities in the region.
When Idris II died in 828, the Idrisid state was very large. It stretched from western Algeria to southern Morocco. It was the most important state in Morocco. However, some areas like Sijilmasa and Barghawata remained outside their control.
Successors of Idris II
After Idris II's death, the dynasty's power slowly weakened. His son and successor, Muhammad (828–836), divided the kingdom. He split it among seven of his brothers. This created eight smaller Idrisid states in Morocco and western Algeria. Muhammad himself ruled Fez, but had little power over his brothers.
Soon after this division, one brother, Isa, rebelled against Muhammad. Muhammad sent another brother, Umar, to stop him. Umar succeeded and then punished another brother, al-Qasim. Al-Qasim had refused to help against Isa. Muhammad rewarded Umar by giving him control of Tangier.
When Umar died in 835, his son Ali ibn Umar took over his lands. Muhammad died seven months later in 836. His son Ali ibn Muhammad became ruler. He ruled well for 13 years (836–849). This brought stability to the state. After his death in 849, his brother Yahya I took over. His reign was also peaceful.
During this time, Islamic and Arabic culture grew strong in the towns. Morocco also benefited from the trans-Saharan trade. This trade was mostly controlled by Muslim traders. Fez became a very important religious center. During Yahya I's rule, more Arab immigrants arrived. Famous mosques like al-Qarawiyyin and al-Andalusiyyin were founded. However, Islamic and Arabic culture mostly affected the towns. Most people in Morocco still spoke Berber languages. The Idrisids mainly ruled the towns and had less power over the countryside.
Decline and Fall of the Idrisids
After Yahya I died in 863, his son Yahya II became ruler. He was less capable. He divided the Idrisid lands even more among his relatives. Yahya II died in 866 after fleeing his palace. After some chaos in Fez, his cousin Ali ibn Umar took power.
In 868, some Berber tribes united against the Idrisids. They were able to defeat Ali ibn Umar and take Fez. But Fez refused to give up. Another Idrisid, Yahya, the son of al-Qasim, retook the city. He became the new ruler, Yahya III. This meant the ruling power shifted to a different branch of the family.
Yahya III ruled the whole Idrisid kingdom. He continued to fight the rebellious tribes. But in 905, he died in battle against another family member, Yahya IV. Yahya IV then took power.
At this point, the Fatimids from the east started to get involved in Morocco. They wanted to expand their influence. In 917, a Berber tribe called the Miknasa, who were allies of the Fatimids, attacked Fez. They forced Yahya IV to accept Fatimid rule. They then removed him from power in 919 or 921.
The Idrisid Hassan I al-Hajam managed to take control of Fez from 925. But in 927, the Miknasa leader returned. He captured and killed Hassan. This was the last time the Idrisids ruled Fez.
From Fez, the Miknasa chased the Idrisid family across Morocco. The Idrisids found safety in a fortress called Hajar an-Nasar in northern Morocco. The Miknasa then surrounded them there. However, a civil war soon broke out among the Miknasa. Their leader switched his loyalty to the Umayyads of Cordoba in 931. He wanted more independence.
The Fatimids sent a general to fight the Miknasa leader. He was defeated and forced to obey the Fatimids again. The Idrisids used this chance to break free from the siege. They also defeated the Miknasa troops. But once the Fatimids left, the Miknasa leader again sided with the Umayyads. The Fatimids sent another general, who chased the Miknasa leader. The Idrisids then killed him.
After this, the Idrisids settled among the Jbala tribes in northwest Morocco. They slowly rebuilt their power from Hajar an-Nasr. They would sometimes support the Umayyads of Cordoba or the Fatimids. Al-Qasim al-Gannoun ruled this area from 938 to 948 for the Fatimids. His son, Ahmad, then recognized the Umayyads. But he angered them by not letting them take Tangier. He was forced to retreat. He kept only small areas around al-Basra and Asilah. The Umayyads took the rest of northern Morocco.
Ahmad eventually left for Spain. His brother Hasan ibn al-Qasim al-Gannoun became the new leader in 954. In 958, the Fatimids sent a new general, Jawhar, to invade Morocco. He succeeded, and the Idrisids had to accept Fatimid rule again.
Soon after, the Fatimids were busy taking control of Egypt. The Umayyads then returned to power. In 973, their general invaded Morocco. The Idrisids were driven out of their lands. Al-Hasan and many other Idrisids were taken as prisoners to Cordoba in 974. The remaining Idrisids in Morocco accepted Umayyad rule.
Al-Hasan was later sent away from Cordoba. He fled to Egypt, which was now under Fatimid rule. In 979, the Fatimid governor of North Africa defeated the Umayyads. He brought Fatimid rule back to western North Africa. In 985, Al-Hasan returned to Morocco with Fatimid help. But that same year, another Umayyad general defeated him. Al-Hasan was then killed on his way to Cordoba. This was the final end of the Idrisid dynasty.
The Umayyads controlled northern Morocco until their caliphate fell in the early 1000s. After that, different Berber tribes ruled Morocco. This continued until the rise of the Almoravids later in the century.
Legacy of the Idrisids
Even though the Idrisids lost power, many families claiming descent from them continued to exist. Some Moroccans today still say they are descendants of the Idrisids. In the 11th century, an Idrisid family called the Hammudids gained power in parts of northern Morocco and southern Spain.
In Fez and the town of Moulay Idriss (near Volubilis), the tombs of Idris II and Idris I became important religious sites. Many people visit them. Several important families in Fez traced their family lines back to Idris I. Some of these families helped maintain the tomb of Idris II in the city.
Religion
The Idrisids were a Muslim dynasty. Historians have different ideas about their exact religious beliefs. Some sources say they were Sunni Muslims. Others describe them as Shi'a or Zaydi Shi'a. This is likely because of their political opposition to the Abbasid Caliphate.
Idris I was welcomed by the Awraba Berbers in Volubilis. These Berbers followed a school of thought called Muʿtazila. Idris I also had connections to Mu'tazila figures from other regions. He was joined on his journey to Morocco by a Mu'tazila religious speaker. This speaker helped him gain support from the tribes. However, it is not fully clear how much the community he founded followed Mu'tazila ideas.
The Dynasty's Rulers
Rulers
- Idris I – (788–791)
- Idris II – (791–828)
- Muhammad ibn Idris – (828–836)
- Ali (I) ibn Muhammad – (836–849)
- Yahya (I) ibn Muhammad – (849–863)
- Yahya (II) ibn Yahya – (863–866)
- Ali (II) ibn Umar – (866–?)
- Yahya (III) ibn al-Qasim – (?–905)
- Yahya (IV) ibn Idris – (905–919 or 921)
- Miknasa control on behalf of the Fatimids – (919–925)
- Al-Hajjam al-Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn al-Qasim – (925–927), last Idrisid ruler in Fez
Idrisid rule in northern Morocco:
- Al-Qasim Guennoun – (938-948)
- Abul-Aish Ahmad – (948-954)
- Al-Hasan (II) ibn Guennoun – (954–974, 985)
Family Tree
Source: Benchekroun, Chafik T. (2018). "Idrīsids". Encyclopaedia of Islam, THREE. Brill Online. |
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Timeline
Later Branches of the Dynasty
Some families that came from the Idrisid dynasty continued to rule in other places:
- Hammudid dynasty in al-Andalus (parts of Spain) – (1016–1058)
- Idrisids of Morocco (Joutey branch) – (1465–1471)
- Banu Rachid of Chefchaouen (Alami branch) – (1471–1561)
- Idrisid emirs of Asir (in present-day Saudi Arabia) – (1906–1934)
- Senussi dynasty of Libya – (1918–1969)
See also
In Spanish: Dinastía idrisí para niños
- Idriss El-Kamil Ibn Yunas Aberkane
- Hammudid dynasty
- Kingdom of Libya
- Senussi
- Muhammad al-Idrisi, a famous geographer who was a descendant of the Idrisid dynasty
- History of Algeria
- History of Morocco
- List of Shi'a Muslim dynasties
